DIVERSE LEARNERS “By 2035, students of color will be a majority in our schools. With increasing populations of children of immigrant and migrant families expanding the presence of cultural diversity in schools … teachers must adjust curriculum, materials, and support to ensure that each student has equity of access to high quality learning.” —Dr. Carol Ann Tomlinson, University of Virginia
KEY FINDINGS
> > “Half of U.S. children under age five are non-white. But only 10 percent of children’s books in the last two decades featured multicultural characters. The math doesn’t add up” (Hart, 2017). > > “Culturally responsive teaching” means using the “cultural characteristics, experiences, and perspectives of ethnically diverse students as conduits for teaching them more effectively” (Gay, 2002). > > Django Paris (2012) explains that “culturally sustaining pedagogy fosters linguistic, literate, and cultural pluralism as part of democratic schooling.” To counter the policies and practices that create a monocultural and monolingual society we need equally explicit resistances that embrace cultural pluralism and equality. > > Trade books are powerful instructional tools for both celebrating and supporting diverse learning styles and perspectives (Draper, 2014; Haddix, 2014; Parker, 2014; Siu-Runyan, 2014; Sumida, 2014; Tatum, 2014). > > In our increasingly diverse nation and interconnected world, students need global awareness and a deep understanding of, and respect for cultural equity and diversity. We’re called upon to help our students understand other perspectives and cultures (Miller and Sharp, 2017; ILA, NCTE 2014). > > Literature has always played a pivotal role in helping our students transcend boundaries created by ethnic, cultural, and linguistic differences. “Literature helps children develop their cultural identities as it allows them to understand and appreciate the cultures of others.” It’s often the first step toward “eliminating stereotyping and prejudice and helping students develop cultural identity” (Craft Al-Hazza and Bucher, 2008).
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CHAPTER 1: READERS
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